My Goodbye to the Corporate World

May 25, 2012

If you had asked me two months ago what my hope for the future was, I would have said that I hoped I wouldn’t be in this grey box forever. And I would have told you that I truly want to change the world. Really change it. But that I just wasn’t sure how.

I would have told you about the guilt I felt for not doing that in my grey box. That I felt deeply sad that I helped big corporations get richer, bully the little guys, and in some cases, make the world a worse place. And that thank you note I got from an unnamed cigarette company. Oh how it broke my heart. I didn’t want to be a part of their success.To sound like the superhero that I am not, I wanted to use my powers for good instead of evil.

I kept reassuring myself, just a few more years Nadine. Once you get a leadership role and some experience under your belt, you can go somewhere else and then try to change the world.

And then one day, something popped up. Something so unexpectedly wonderful that I still can’t believe my luck. And now I’m down to my very last day in my grey box. I’m giddy with excitement for this next stage in my life.

These past (almost) two years I have worked with some really stellar people. I met my boyfriend, one of my best friends, countless other good friends, and tons of hardworking and wonderful people. I owe a lot to the company I work[ed] for. I built my life here with the help of the people I worked with.

These folks helped me learn all my east coast basics. From directions to the closest Marshall’s, to restaurant suggestions, to back road shortcuts, to doctor and dentist referrals and advice about when to go to the DMV (not first thing in the morning). They introduced me to tomato pie, the local Italian festival, the best farmers markets, and even the neighborhood I now live in. I’ve grown so much in these two years and I’m thankful for their patience and understanding as I adapted to this wonderful east coast life.

Tuesday morning, following my long weekend of unemployment, I’ll be headed to a local non-profit. Words can’t contain my excitement about this opportunity. I’m just lucky to have the chance to feel oh-so-good about the work that I do every day. And while changing the world might be a long shot, I know I’ll be helping people and making lives better.

So while I can’t say I’ll never return, goodbye corporate world. I’m grateful for the opportunities you provided me.

I’m glad you like it! You definitely need to get a pair of Sperry’s. I wear mine year round, and they are OLD. I’m talking, 6 years old. That’s them, the tiny ones, in the button… they don’t look too shabby for their age do they? 😉

Hi, I’m Nadine. I want to live in a world of brick row houses with colorful shutters, walk down every street I haven’t been down before, and eat indian takeout every night. And always with N and Archie beside me.